Device for preventing water-hammer.



R. D. GOULD.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING WATER HAMMER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1013.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Attorneys ROBERT D. GOULD, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING WATER-HAMMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed November 10. 1913. Serial No. 800,208. i

Hammer, of which the following is a specification.

By way of explanation it may be stated that when a faucet or cock is turned off suddenly, an undesirable rattlin known as water-hammer takes place in the liquid supply pipe. The common practice, hitherto,

has been to branch a short stub-pipe from p the main suppl pipe, which stub-pipe acts as an ai cham er, retaining an air cushion which, 0 a greater or less extent, obviates the water hammer. After a period of time of greater or less duration, the air in the stub-pipe becomes absorbed by the water, and there is no longer an air cushion in the stub-pipe, all of the temporary advantages, so far as preventing a water hammer is concerned, being absent.

The present invention aims to provide an attachment adapted to prevent a water hammer in the pipe, the attachment being soconstructed that the water may be dramed out of the same at any time, the air being renewed simultaneously.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of this type in which, by inspection, the height of the water in the air chamber may be determined at any time.

The invention aims. further to provide a float, which, at once, will indicate the water level, and serve to protect the air in the upper portion of the structure from the water in the lower ortion thereof.

Another object othe invention is to provide a, device of this t pc in which the valve cannot be so manipu ated as to permit the water to flow continuously from the main liquid supply pipe. through the combined air vent and drainage opening.

It is within the scope of the invention to improve generally and to enhance the utility of, devices of that type to which the present inventlon appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear'as the description proceeds,the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction heremafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be madewithin the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the accompanying drawing :-Figure 1 shows in elevation,v an air cushion device constructed in accordance with the present invention, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, the cutting plane being passed at right angles to the cutting plane of Fig. 1, and additional arts being sectioned, parts appearing in e evation; Fig. 3 is a. cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 1 l

In carrying out the invention there is provided a reservoir, denoted generally by the numeral 1 and adaptedat its lower end for connection with a main service pipe. The reservoir 1 is a composite structure and in cludes a cup-shaped base 2 which maybe fashioned from metal, the base 2 being provided along its upper edge with an outstanding flange 3. Located above thecuprshaped base 2 is a, dome 4 which preferably is fashioned from lass or other trans arent material. At t e lower edge of t e dome 4 there is formed an outstanding flange 5. A

gasket 6 may be interposed between the flange 5 of the dome 4 and the flange 3 of the base 2. The dome 4 'is inclosed by a jacket 7 which may be made of metal, the jacket 7 being provided with one or more longitudinal slots 8. The jacket 7 is equipped along its loweredge with an outstanding flange 9 which rests upon the flange 5 of the dome 4. the flange 9 ter* minating in a depending lip 10 which surrounds the vertical-edges of the flanges 5 and 3. Securing elements 11, which may be bolt and nutrstructures, pass through the flange 9, the flange 5, the gasket 10 and the flange 3 and serve to hold the dome 4 and the jacket 7 in place on the base 2.

The reservoir 1 and, more specifically, the cup-shapecl base 2 thereof is provided with 'a nipple v12 into which is threaded a valve the'lower end 0 the bore of the casingis indicated at 18. In the side wall of the easing 14 there is a drainage opening 19, shown the present instance as jsposed at right angles to the axis of the bore 1718, there being alip 20 outstanding from the casing 14 below the drainage opening 19. The bore 17-48 of the casing 14 is intersected by a transverse, tapered valve chamber 21, as will be understood best from Fig. 3, and journaledfor rotation in the valve chamber 21 is a tapered valve 22, terminated at its outer end in a finger piece 23. A screw 24: or the like is journaled in one side of the casing 14, the inner end of the screw 24 being threaded into the valve 22 to hold the same in place in the valve chamber 21 with a watertight fit. A; washer 25 may be interposed between the head at the screw 24 and the adjacent side face of the casing 14k. There is a passage 26 through the valve 22 and branched ad from the passage 26 is a rectangular-1y disposed passage 27 as shown best in Fig. 2. In that end of the casing 16% which is adjacent the finger piece 23 are lugs '28 and 29, between which is adapted to move a projection 30 formed on the periphery of the valve 22.

Located within the dome r is'a float 31 which preferably takes the form of a comparatively thin disk of cork, wood, or other buoyant material. The float 31 substantially fills the interior of the dome 4, transversely,

cunt of air in the dome 4 may be noted. When the amount of air in the dome 4 has so than, the passage 27 in tluevalve will be lined no more space being left between the periphery of the float'31 and the inner wall of the dome than-is necessary to prevent the float from binding.

Under ordinary conditions of use, the parts remain as shown in Fig. 2, the axis of the passage 26 in the valve 22 being coincident with the am's of the bore TE -18 of the casing 1d. The branch passage 27, under the circumstances above pointed out, does not co- .incidevwith the drainage opening 19 in the valve casing 14:. lit will now be understood that, when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 2, air will be entrapped in the dome 4%, adjacent the upper end thereof, and when the neck 16 is in communication with the water supply pipe, water will rise to a greater or less extent in the dome and pre vent a water hammer.

The dome i is transparent and since the jacket 7 is slotted as indicated at 8, the position of the float 31 may be ascertained "at a glance, at any time, and consequently ,the

decreased to an undesirable extent, the valve 22 is rotated by means of the finger piece 23, the progectmnSO on the valve moving out of engagement w th the lug 28 and cog into engagement with the la 29.. By this operainnie up with the end 17 of the bore of the casing 14:, the passage 26 in the valve being lined up with the drainage opening 19, the lower end 18 of the bore of the casing being cut oil.

There is thus established a continuous conduit leading from the dome 4 through the bore 17, through the passage 27 through the passage 26 and out of the discharge opening 19. By the operation above described, the water which has accumulated in the dome 4 will be drained away and the dome will fill with air. Then, the parts are restored to the positions shown in Fig. 2., The lugs 28 and 29 areso positioned that it is impossible to establish a communication between the nipple 16, the passage 27, the passage '26 and the drainage opening 19, and consequently, water from the main supply pipe will never flow uninterruptedly through the drainage opening 19.

The device, preferably, is positioned adjacent a sink, and the lip 20 is adapted to discharge accumulated water into the sink and to prevent the water from trickling down upon the valve casing 14.

Especial attention is directed to the float 31. This float 31, being visible through the slot 8 serves toindicate the height of thev contact with the water in the lower part of the dome. Consequently, the air is not ab-; sorbed by the water. The float 31,. therefore,

exercises an important, double function.

Owing to ,the presence of the float 31, the air in the reservoir 1 need be renewed but at widely separated intervals of time.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claime is In a devicefor preventing liquid hammer,

a reservoir; means for establishing a'communicatlon between the reservoir and a source of liquid supply; means for adnntting air to the top of the reservoir, the reservoir being stationary, whereby the air will constitute the sole cushioning means forthe liquid in the reservoir; and a buoyant disk in the reservoir and adapted to float 'on' the liquid therein, the disk being interposed d1- rectly between the air and liquid in the reservoir and being adapted to prevent a loss of resiliency in the air.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto-affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ROBERTD. GOULD.

Witnesses: I Josnrn Rornn,

J. R. Gammon. 

